Racing Through Love
by AndysLoveTriangle
Summary: [Post Cars 2, FrancescoxLightning] Lightning has settled down after the Radiator Grand Prix. Sally became his attorney, living short-term in California, and he has been going on the usual business road trips. He hasn't met anyone from the race face-to-face in awhile, not until Sally decides to ruin the foundation they share, and he's alone and confused once again.
1. A N

Hi, Fanfictioners (and hopefully Pixar's Cars fans)!

My track record is quite preposterous, so I'm taking a risk with starting a new story. But, at this moment in time, there are only 18 fics in this fandom! ( noeeee :,( )

I'm planning on tackling this one a bit faster than my other fics, and having it be probably 5 chapters long or so. Although I really have no clue xD

According to how I'm going with this, Sally is living in California after becoming Lightning's main attorney (bye-bye old attorney with a time-share in Tahiti). The setting is after Cars 2, after the Radiator Springs Grand Prix, and after Francesco and Lightning have met.

No spoilers, but maybe slight indications of what has happened.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave you with the description ^-^ Please follow or comment in the meantime so I know fans are waiting~!


	2. Prologue

A!N- All mentioning of Sally in this chapter and the next aren't needed for the rest of my story. Trust me. (Reads better on mobile, by the way ^-^)

**PROLOGUE-**

"Excuse me, guys." He drove through the thickening crowd of screaming fans and pesky reporters, trying not to bump into anyone. This had to be the most stressful part of his career.

"McQueen!"

"Just one question-"

"Please, McQueen."

Out of the corner of his eye, McQueen could see Mack parked beyond the ominous crowd he was currently in. He was praying that his friend would notice his distress, maybe do the "this is my good side" and give Lightning a VIP pass to freedom. Of course, Lightning's prayers were never answered in the way he expected them to.

At that moment, the reporters heard a red, white, and green racer rev his engine behind them, stealing the attention of their cameras for a moment to unknowingly let Lightning silently sweep past.

He was grateful towards his unknown savior, but he didn't have the time to return to that dreadful crowd and thank them. The only thing on his mind now was safely reaching Mack and returning to the road. Lightning was planning a surprise visit to see Sally, and if they left the parking lot now, they could make it by evening.

Suddenly feeling the antifreeze in his engine go cold, Lightning swore he could feel someone staring at him as he drove away. He started to turn around, expecting to see some form of a stalker, the usual-

"Hey, Lightning," Mack's insanely cheerful voice cut through the racer's chill, his own mind calming down, "How'd the interview go?"

"It was the usual." Lightning instantly replied, but a huge grin was plastered on his face. He guessed Mack knew why by the way the taller vehicle squinted his eyes and shared the grin.

"I saw it on the big screen," Mack said, his voice getting more excited by every word, "I can't wait until Sally hears that you want to move in with her! Lightning, you sly dog." Mack pushed his tire against the racer's side, getting a chuckle in return.

"I honestly can't wait to see her. We should head out right away if we want to make it before nightfall," Lightning drove around his friend, looking anxiously for the trailer. Within the area he surveyed, there was no sign of the brightly lit motor home. "Wait, where's the trailer?"

"Oh," Mack replied after a second of confusion, "It's over there, past the intense crowd and … Francesco Bernoulli?" Now, both their faces were plastered with confusion. No one told Lightning that his biggest rival would be here, the same day he had his interview. Maybe Francesco had one too?

It almost seemed to be too much of a coincidence.

After slowly revving his engine in a defeated sigh, Lightning reversed and faced the crowd. "I'll be right back." Driving as slow as possible towards his biggest enemy (crowds, definitely not Francesco Bernoulli), the racer heard Mack say "good luck" as the bustling voices of reporters soon blocked out any noise. Lightning was going to need copious amounts of luck- for both the stability of his sanity and his tolerance. It's been awhile since this has happened, but he was still expecting another stand-off of "racing pride" just to waste his time. Right now he was tired of it.

At first, he was looking towards the edges of the herd for any point of easy clearance. Despite his mental pleas, the cars kept moving from inside the circle to the outside. He didn't want to be noticed and be stalled from his plans any longer by going through the center, either. The famous, quick-thinking race car was going to have to wing it.

Never again was he going to deal with such a situation. Next on his wishlist of things he'll never receive; "Bodyguards".

Squeezing himself between reporter after reporter, trying to barely make a sound, Lightning wouldn't let himself breath. Several times he almost bumped into someone or something that would alert everyone else. And god forbid if it got the attention of-

"Ey, Light-a-ning Mcqueen! What a surprise," a thick accent shouted above the reporters. One by one, all chatter ceased. Francesco was still shrouded by view, for the first time absolutely silent.

One by one, the reporters parted to look at none other than the car that Francesco beckoned. With the Italian racer in view, Lightning noted the cocky grin and open wheels. The brown eyes that always mocked him. The car that had everyone swooning at his feet, except himself.

And with the silence came the car-in-headlights feeling. Or, in Lightning's case, the absolutely deafening inaudible command that it was his turn to speak.

…

He had no clue what to say.

Usually he came up with a witty retort, but at those times it was just him and Francesco. Now practically the whole world was watching, and he swore the red blinking light of a recording just turned on. He was utterly embarrassed.

As his stare hardened on Francesco's, getting back his thoughts after every second, Lightning began thinking about what to say to quickly get him out of here. He opened his mouth to speak, a few short seconds before Francesco beat him to it. The ghost of a smirk was on the others face, and Lightning wanted to smack it off.

"I-a heard what you said on the television," Francesco straightened his facial features, sternly assessing Lightning. The action made 95 want to laugh, it was totally off-point. Instead, Lightning simply nodded in a 'get on with it' way.

Francesco coughed, seeming to be a bit awkward with Lightning's sudden disinterest. For Bernoulli, these types of interactions are what he prepares for all day. His face slipped with semblance of doubt, but he quickly gained his cocky composure. "Are you-a sure you want to move to California with your-a girlfriend? I mean, a car like-a you would stick out like a sore tire!"

Lightning shook his head, not able to keep a grin and chuckle under his hood. Despite the annoyances of Francesco, he couldn't help but to be entertained. It's not everyday when your rival acts like how you did when you were younger. Almost like looking in a mirror.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Lightning should have realized Francesco would pull the same stunt again.

"You should-a move to Italia," a stifling smile creeped onto his face, "Maybe then no one would notice you." Francesco's eyes turned dark, almost as dark as the sky above.

None of the reporters, or Bernoulli himself, expected Lightning to smile genuinely, his blue eyes dancing with inaudible laughter.

Francesco stared at him in shock. He had just … insulted him! No reaction? None at all?! His shocked expression transitioned from a simmer to boiling anger. _Does McQueen think he's better than Francesco? Nonsense! _The F1's engine began revving, an obvious sign he was about to burst with uncouth Italian phrases.

"I'll see you later, Francesco," Lightning replied, his voice calm and collected- close to being as smooth as the racetracks they drive on. As an added bonus, or to just make himself laugh more, Lightning winked. This time it was Francesco's turn to look embarrassed.

When the footage aired, the loudest piece of audio was Francesco screaming Italian at Lightning McQueen's departing trailer. Lightning was lucky to get out of there alive.

A!N- Oh jeez, Lightning and Francesco aren't getting along. They'll make up soon, right? :3 The first/next chapter will probably be a bit more filler, with a lot more Lightning. If you have any ideas of how this should turn out, comment or PM~! I'm honestly riding on pure imagination at this point xD


End file.
